Top 5 PSP Games

Everyone is writing about their top 10, top 7, top 5, even top 1. Well, I guess I will follow the trend and write about my own top 5 (top 10 is too much because I don't have that much for myself, sadly).Let's see. I like games, and I have played some. So, I will just write about that. As for books, sadly, I didn't read much this year... so sad... one reason is hard to find an (cheap) English book here. And, my favorite writer Peter Robinson lately only has one book this year, which I am still waiting for the paperback. Alright. I classify the top 5 into two, namely PSP games and NDSL games. Well, I haven't really played PS2 games because... of a lot of reasons.

As a lot of people would agree, year 2007 is certainly the year of PSP due to release of tons of triple-A quality games including Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness, Silent Hill Origins, Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow, Crush, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Jeanne d'Arc, Monster Hunter Freedom 2, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles, and some import (Japanese) games such as Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, etc.

5th Place -- Monster Hunter Freedom 2
Let's not doubt how popular this game is, considering it reaches over 1 million copies of sale in Japan. Capcom certainly has created a monster franchise on PSP. The predecessor still sells pretty well in Japan even after almost 2 years of release. What is so good about this game? In addition to hunting monsters (as the title implies), it has a wide variety of customization options, from the character, to the weapons, armors, etc. Additionally, it has thousands of quests. Encountering (not to mention slaughtering) myriad of weird monsters in the game definitely is another attractive point. Oh, don't forget it provides some sort of online game (ad-hoc, too bad no online infrastructure yet). By the way, did I mention the graphics? Anyway, when I say, it is one piece of must-have PSP game, I bet a lot of the gamers would agree with me. But, why is it number 5 on my list? Well, that's because I am not so good in this game...

4th Place -- Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus
When the Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops was out in end of 2006, I was so happy because finally I could experience Solid Snake action on handheld. It has won so many gamers' hearts over its interesting recruitment system, short-form quest that is designed specifically for handheld, and of course another Snake's legendary story. If any of you has followed Snake chronicle, you would really welcome this addition of the story that bridge the gap between (if I am not wrong) episode 2 and 3. Then, in year 2007 not long ago, Portable Ops Plus is out to add more features to the origin. A lot of the gamers have complained that the Plus is merely to cheat gamers' pocket. For me, it is a nice addition, with more interesting quests, more interesting missions, and not to mention more interesting characters (including the Old Snake that will appear in Metal Gear Sold 4 for PS3). Oh, I am usually not so good in 3rd Person Shooting Stealthy Game, but this one I definitely love it!

3rd Place -- Jeanne D’Arc
What's not to like about this game? I could hardly find any. Level 5 certainly has delivered one masterpiece to the PSP game library. The visually-stunning graphics, totally 360-degree 3D (all around), interesting story twist, anime-cutscenes (that I always like), and addictive game play. I mean I always wonder if FFT could be rendered in this way, it would definitely make FFT the perfect strategy role-playing game. Sometimes I really hope that Square-Enix could remake FFT using this game as a reference. Who cares, just copy the style, and I will go with it. I have put about 20-30 hours of game play in this. So, you could tell I really love this game. Why is it number 3? Not 2 or 1? Well, it is simple, because I have two more much-favorites than this one.

2nd Place -- Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
No one (well, those who do play games) does not know Cloud and Sephiroth. Final Fantasy VII on PSOne certainly has rocked the game industry. Even now, people still talk about how classic the game is, and hoping for a remake on PS3. And, if it is not that popular, there wouldn't be the so-called Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, which is composed of Advent Children: Final Fantasy VII (AC:FFVII), Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII (BC:FFVII), (this game) Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (CC:FFVII) and Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (DC:FFVII). So, this game featured Jack Fair, who was a good old friend of our FFVII protagonist Cloud Strife. OK, the story is good (very good, even some cried over the ending). But, the graphic is certainly thrilling! IGN even claimed that this game actually looks like a PS2 game on handheld. Well, I have played the Japanese version, but I will definitely replay it when it is out in English version on 25 March 2008!

1st Place -- Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Drum roll... My year 2007 first place PSP game is definitely this, considering I have put more than 50 hours of game play on this. OK, graphics it is not as good as Jeanne d'Arc or CC:FFVII, gameplay definitely worse than Jeanne d'Arc considering they are both in the same genre. But, I guess what really attracts me is its depth of game play -- with myriads of job classes, customizations, I am so hooked up. Oh, almost forgot, the beautifully made cut-scenes definitely is a plus -- if there is a DVD compiled by all these cut-scenes out there, I am definitely going to buy it. It is certainly the classic of the classic. I am not the only one who name this the game of PSP (considering it is only a remake or even a mere port from PSOne). A lot of game sites just acknowledge the significance of this game! Even now, when I play some strategy game (like Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness) it just reminds me how much I miss FFT:The War of the Lions.